In order to find out which are today�s hottest cities for business expansion, the trade publication surveyed 75 of the industry�s most prominent site location consultants in order to find out which cities their clients find most attractive when it comes to actually selecting an expansion or relocation site � and why these cities are more appealing than the others. The consultants were asked to list their top city choices for relocating and expanding manufacturing companies, taking into consideration such factors as the business climate, work force quality, operating costs, incentive programs, and the ease of working with local political and economic development officials.

�Many of these consultants already have the Upstate on their radar, yet these survey results underscore the need for the Alliance to provide its regional research data from at least a 50-mile radius, said Upstate Alliance Marketing Director Holly Matheson. �Through our web site and targeted marketing we will better enable the consultants to place a project in the sought-after Upstate.�

Following is a complete list of the 50 Hottest Cities according to the site consultants surveyed:

America�s 50 Hottest Cities (2002):